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Mid Sodor Railway
The Mid Sodor Railway (abbreviated as MSR) was a 2'3" (narrow gauge) railway which operated from 1880 to 1947 and ran for 25 miles. Some 10 miles of the line were rebuilt in 1966/7 for the 15" gauge Arlesdale Railway. History Planning When it was first promoted, the Sodor and Mainland Railway had canvassed support from investors in the Peel Godred area with a promise to build them a branch from Cronk. As the years passed, it seemed increasingly less likely that this project would ever be implemented. By 1870, the people of Peel Godred had come to the conclusion that if they were ever to have a railway, they would have to build it themselves. A line southward down the valley was favoured at first. This, on the face of it, would have been simplest and cheapest, but it would have involved a junction somewhere with the S&M, and since that Company was then teetering on the verge of bankruptcy most felt that to embark on such a project would be the height of imprudence. It behoved them to look elsewhere. Some six miles to the west, mine owners at Cas-ny-Hawin had combined with others in the Arle Valley to build a tramway to the port town of Arlesburgh. Construction The Peel Godred Committee approached the mining companies who saw advantages in the Peel Godred connection, and following a series of meetings at Ulfstead Castle chaired by John Arnold Norramby, Earl of Sodor, the Mid Sodor Railway Company was formed in 1872. They bought up the tramway and relaid it to Board of Trade passenger carrying standards, and opened it in 1874. There were four stations, Arlesdale, Marthwaite, Ffarquhar Road and Arlesburgh. A road coach link was provided from Peel Godred to Marthwaite pending the completion of the mountain section. They were thus prudently in a position to earn revenue while the most difficult part of the line was under construction. The site selected for the summit station at Ulfstead Road stood at 867ft above sea level, 264ft higher than Cas-ny-Hawin, though the two places are, as the crow flies, only 1½ miles apart. Mr C. E. Spooner of the Ffestiniog Railway was consulted, but as he was then much occupied with the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway, the actual survey was undertaken by his son Edwin, who advised that the railway should climb in a series of loops, thus effectively increasing the distance between the two places to 6 miles, and reducing the gradient to manageable proportions. He advised that the actual length of climb should be for 5 miles at an average of 1 in 100, and that it should be arranged in “steps” with level or nearly level stretches between them. He explained that this would allow ”labouring” locomotives to ease off and blow up steam, or alternatively to gain speed and therefore impetus before tackling the next climb ahead. Edwin Spooner's survey and estimates were accepted. It necessitated the cutting of four tunnels, and it was here that the company's troubles began. Having cut two tunnels, it was found, inevitably, that their expenses far exceeded estimates and, with two more tunnels in prospect, money was running short. They economised by cutting down clearances to those which had been allowed on the Festiniog Railway, but even so they had little money left for the last few miles to Peel Godred. Fortunately there were no expensive civil engineering problems here, and the only casualty was the fine Central Station they had planned for the town. They had to settle instead for a temporary terminus on cheaper land in the outskirts alongside the Arlesdale Road. A branch line to Ulfstead had also been planned, and this had to be dropped too. Opening The line was opened in October 1880, with No. 1 The Duke hauling the Opening Train. They had hoped for a June opening following the Board of Trade Inspection; but the Inspector, disturbed by the scanty clearances in the mountain section, refused to allow this even though he could not fault anything else. When, however, it was pointed out by the Spooners that the clearances to which he took exception were, if anything, more generous than those which had been allowed and passed for the Ffestiniog, he paid the line a second visit at the end of September,and reluctantly passed it on condition that similar safety precautions to those enforced on the Ffestiniog should apply, namely that all carriage doors should be locked between Arlesdale and Ulfstead Road. This was no real hardship. On the Upward journey water-stops were needed at both places anyway, while for down trains at Ulfstead Road the routine brake test which common prudence required before starting the descent, also gave ample time for attention to the carriage doors. Natives soon accepted this door drill as a matter of course, but visitors to the Island were apt to complain at ”being imprisoned without trial”. The Company’s servants however never heeded such complaints. To them, as Sudrians born and bred, tourists were decent enough folk, but like all foreigners, particularly English and Manx, they were probably not quite right in the head. Traffic Working The bulk of the passenger traffic was between Peel Godred and Arlesburgh, but it was the mines which provided the railway with its chief revenue. Local goods and passenger traffic was slow in developing so, bearing this in mind, the Mid Sodor set itself from the first to encourage visitors and tourist traffic. Proposals made to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company met with a favourable response. It was arranged that steamers should call at Arlesburgh twice daily in Summer, and twice weekly in Winter. Arlesburgh became the port for Peel Godred, and between 1890 and 1923 the railway enjoyed a period of moderate prosperity. The normal journey time between Peel Godred and Arlesburgh, a distance of 25 miles, was, for local trains, 1½ hours; but the pride of the line were its Boat Expresses run in connection with the Isle of Man Steamers. The line had to be clear to allow these trains free passage, and woe betide anyone who hindered the smart running of these trains. With two stops at Arlesdale and Ulfstead Road respectively, they covered the 25 miles in the very creditable time (for narrow gauge), of 1¼ hours. Special Observation Cars were built at Arlesdale Works for these trains, The usual load was four bogie coaches strengthened at busy times to six. Holiday-makers in the Island were catered for during the Summer by a train which came to be known as "The Picnic". This train, put on between Easter and Michaelmas, left Arlesburgh at 10am, and was given a very easy timing. It would stop, on request, at beauty spots and places of interest, to set down ramblers and picnic parties. The return train left Peel Godred at 3.30 to pick up the parties at the places where they had been set down. This train was timed to reach Arlesburgh at 5.10, thus returning passengers in good time for High Tea at the sacred hour (to Sudrian landladies) of 5.30. The Culdee Fell Railway, though built and operated by a separate Company, was nevertheless the brainchild of the tourist conscious Mid Sodor Board. Once it was actually under construction the MSR had intended to extend their line round the head of the valley to a joint station at Kirk Machan, but the whole extension would have involved expensive engineering works for a line which would, at most, only be worked profitably for part of the year; so this project was prudently dropped, but the MSR did take the opportunity of moving their terminus from Ulfstead Road to a more commodious site near King Orry's Bridge. This was much more convenient for those who wished to reach the shopping centre of the town, and since King Orry’s Bridge provides the only access to the town from the south, this station became the valley’s railhead for the next thirty years. While the mining companies had their "block trains" and paid well for the convenience, local goods traffic was slow in building up. At first the Guard's vans of local trains sufficed for parcels and small freight, but did not suit larger items. Mixed trains were then tried, but passengers complained so bitterly at delays caused by shunting operations at stations, that the Company put on a daily goods train each way which took anything and everything. It stopped to shunt anywhere on the least provocation, and was allowed a time of two and a half hours in which to cover the 25 miles, hence its name "The Horse & Cart" given to it by travellers and traders. Passengers were also carried in the brake van on payment of half 3rd class fare; but the Company, wisely, would not guarantee the time of arrival at any station. The Mid Sodor served the valley well for nearly 40 years. It was well loved, and had become a part of the landscape. Even its vagaries were a part of local tradition. People assumed that it would last forever. It survived the First World War, though stretched to the limit, and had nearly succeeded in making good most of its maintenance arrears when it received a blow from which it was never to recover. Decline In 1923, just after the Grouping, the Peel Godred Power Company (a subsidiary of the British Aluminium Company), obtained powers to build a dam and hydro-electric power plant a mile or so north-west of the town. The Power Company had at first considered using the port of Arlesburgh and the MSR for the transport of their equipment; but while the port facilities were adequate, the slim clearances on the mountain section of the MSR proved an insuperable obstacle. Accordingly they agreed with the North Western Railway for the construction of a standard gauge branch line from Killdane. The opening of this line had a disastrous effect on the MSR. Passenger and goods traffic to and from Peel Godred steadily fell. Except in summer, when the tourists came, passenger trains on the mountain section ran almost empty, and by 1935 when the Isle of Man steamers ceased to call, even this meagre traffic had disappeared. The section was closed to all traffic in 1936. Three of the six locomotives were sold in an effort to keep the Company’s head above water, and with them went the bogie saloon stock used on the Boat Trains and the Picnics. These later found homes all over the Island. Their buyers put them to use as summer-holiday chalets, henhouses and garden sheds. The engines which remained, The Duke, Falcon and Stuart, were those in the best condition, and they, together with the four-wheeled passenger and goods stock sufficed for the mineral and such goods and passenger traffic still offering in the Valley. When this local traffic took to the roads, the line became just what it had been at first - a mineral tramway - with trains running only as and when required. Closure The Second World War brought an upsurge of traffic, but while the locomotives were lovingly maintained as far as possible, both track and goods stock suffered. The mines suffered too. They were stripped almost beyond safety margins to assist the war effort, and in consequence were closed one by one during 1945. That at Cas-ny-Hawin alone remained, but when this was abandoned because of flooding in December 1946, the railway, having no longer any reason for existence, was abandoned too in January 1947. Two of the locomotives, Falcon and Stuart, were bought by the Sodor Aluminium Company to assist in an expansion project they had on hand. This was completed in 1951, and the two engines, after standing sheeted under tarpaulins for the better part of a year, were sold in 1952 to Sir Handel Lloyd Brown for the Skarloey Railway at the knockdown price of £25 each. They restained their old numbers (3 & 4), but after rebuilding they were given SR livery and renamed Sir Handel and Peter Sam respectively. The third and oldest engine, Duke, on account of age, had found no buyer, for interest in veteran steam locomotive preservation had in those days hardly begun. Duke was left oiled, greased and sheeted up in Arlesdale Shed, until 1969 when he was recovered. He was restored at Crovan's Gate Works and reunited with Stuart and Falcon on the Skarloey Railway. The closure of the Mid Sodor also forced the virtual closure of the NWR's Arlesburgh Branch Line. In 1964, due to congestion at Tidmouth and Knapford Harbours, Sir Topham Hatt made several visits of inspection to the area. He found that while his line was heavily overgrown, the abandoned MSR trackbed was virtually weed free. On enquiry, he was told that the MSR had, from motives of economy, used spoil from the lead mines as ballast; material which they could take and use merely for the asking. Once exhaustive tests had proved that this spoil really was weed-resistant, Sir Topham suggested to the management of the Culdee Fell and Skarloey Railways that they join the NWR in a consortium to exploit it, and that a railway along the Mid Sodor's former trackbed could be laid to take it away. The section between Arlesburgh and Arlesdale was relaid with minimum gauge rails, and reopened in 1967 as the Arlesdale Railway. Most of the MSR trackbed not used for the Arlesdale Railway has now been converted into roads and scenic footpaths. Stations There were two stations in Arlesburgh. Arlesburgh Bridge Street, the more convenient of the two, was the terminus; only trains connecting with the boat and mining block trains used the harbour station, Arlesburgh West. Arlesburgh Bridge Street had two platforms with a timber roof and an extensive yard for goods, locomotives and carriages. Ffarquhar Road station had one platform and a shelter made from granite. Marthwaite had a station building, loop and goods yard. From the loop was a branch which swung northwards to a granite quarry a mile and a half from the village. There was not originally a station at Arlesdale Green, as the station at Arlesdale was considered near enough; there was only ever a wooden hut on the site and a patch of gravel for a platform. A platform, nameboard and a corrugated building were later provided. Just before Arlesdale was a junction from the mainline to a quarry and some railway cottages. Arlesdale station had a loop and locomotive and carriage sheds. The line then started to climb into the mountains, turning back on itself, passing through a tunnel and stopping at Cas-ny-Hawin. Another three tunnels were passed through and Ulfstead Road was reached, the line climbing all the time. Ulfstead Road had a curved station and was the summit of the line. It had a passing loop, platform and a road overbridge. The line then left the mountains, calling at Ballamoddey before arriving at King Orry's Bridge, near the historical location of the same name. Engines The MSR had alot of engines over the 67 year lifespan. Duke (Number 1): built 1863, withdrawn 1879 and renamed Duke, arrived on MSR 1880, found 1969 and restored 1983, now owned by Sir Robert Norramby. Sodor (Number 2a): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, scrapped 1903. Handel (Number 3a): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, withdrawn 1928 after Falcon arrived. Sam (Number 4a): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, withdrawn 1928 after Stuart arrived. Warrior (Number 5a): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, scrapped 1916. Peter (Number 6a): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, destroyed in mine accident 1890. Tim (Number 7): built by Arlesdale Tramway 1866, passed to MSR 1880, abandoned 1947. Jim (Number 6b): built by MSR 1890, decomissioned 1936. Smudger/Bertram (Number 2b): built 1884, arrived on MSR 1903, wrecked 1916, rebuilt 1928 and renamed Bertram, abandoned 1947, found 1973 and sold to SKR. Richard (Number 8a): built 1884, arrived on MSR 1903, rebuilt 1915, wrecked 1918 and sold to SKR, killed 1944. Barn (Number 9a): built 1893, arrived on MSR 1904, abandoned 1918, sold to SKR 1991. Millie (Number 10a): built 1911 and arrived on MSR, sold to Sir Robert Norramby 1925. Jennings (Number 11): built 1884, arrived on MSR 1911, abandoned 1947. John (Number 12): built by MSR 1911, abandoned 1947. Freddie (Number 13): built 1906, arrived on MSR 1911, decomissioned 1936, sold to SKR 1978. Albert (Number 5b): built 1878, arrived on MSR 1916, decomissioned 1947. Proteus (Number 2c): built 1878, arrived on MSR 1916, sold to SKR 1918, killed the same year. Mighty Mac (Number 14): built 1886, arrived on MSR 1916, abandoned 1947, sold to SKR 1977. Atlas (Number 8b): built 1916, arrived on MSR 1918, abandoned 1947. Alfred (Number 9b): built 1916, arrived on MSR 1918, abandoned 1947. Stanley (Number 2d): built 1917, arrived on MSR 1918, wrecked 1928, sent to Cas-ny-Hawin 1930, scrapped 1946. Jerry (Number 10b): built 1919, arrived on MSR 1925, decomissioned 1936. Falcon (Number 3b): built 1928 and arrived on MSR, sold to Peel Godred Aluminum 1947, sold to SKR 1952. Stuart (Number 4b): built 1928 and arrived on MSR, sold to Peel Godred Aluminum 1947, sold to SKR 1952. Barford (Number 15): built 1921, arrived on MSR 1929, sold to Peel Godred Aluminum 1936. The history of the MSR engines The Mid-Sodor had its first batch of engines in 1880. They were Arlesdale Tramay engines (except Duke), all built in 1866, while Duke was built in 1863; #1 Duke, #2 Sodor, #3 Handel, #4 Sam, #5 Warrior, #6 Peter and #7 Tim. Duke, Sodor, Handel, Sam, Warrior, Peter and Tim worked on the Mid-Sodor Railway for ten years straight, until in 1890 when Peter was destroyed in a mine accident. The others tried to find him, but it wasn't any good. So, the manager had no choice but to get another engine. The new engine was known as Jim, given the number 6, painted green, built at Arlesdale Works, and was a jinx. The 2 engines got comeuppance though. In 1903, Sodor was taking a goods train up the mountain road. But the trucks were playing up so much and Sodor was being so careless, that he ran right off the track, crashed at the bottom, and he was so damaged that he had to be scrapped. In fact, after Sodor gave up his life, Duke realized what it meant to be a true leader and example to other engines, and became the wise and kind figure he is today. Later that year after Sodor was gone, an engine arrived on the railway from Fletcher, Jennings & Co. He was named Smudger, painted green, numbered 2, and was a brash cocky showoff. Duke, Handel, Sam, Jim and Tim were never with the newcomer right away, but Warrior was still cross about not having Sodor or Peter with him, though, he actually wanted Sodor to be with him more then Peter. To make matters worse for Warrior. Richard arrived on the railway a few days later, and was given the number 8. In 1904, the manager acquired a 0-4-0 saddle tank engine from Hunslet Engine Company, named Barn, painted blue like Handel, and given the number 9. Over the next few years, Duke, Smudger, Handel, Sam, Warrior, Jim, Tim, Richard and Barn worked alongside each other on the Mid-Sodor Railway, but Smudger and Warrior insisted on working by themselves, ignoring the other engines. The 1910's didn't see much change for the railway, but the manager acquired four tank engines to work on the railway. Their names were Millie, Jennings, John and Freddie. Millie was given the number 10, Jennings was given the number 11, John was given the number 12, and Freddie was given the number 13. Millie and Freddie worked at Ulfstead Road with Jim, and Jennings and John worked at the mines with Handel, Sam, Warrior and Tim. In 1914, World War I broke out in Europe, with Germany as the enemy. This had little effect on the engines of the Mid-Sodor Railway, but they helped out in the war effort as much as they could. In 1916, the Mid-Sodor Railway faced another casualty when Smudger came a cropper with some unruly trucks, and the accident tore Smudger's frames apart. The engines and the manager were most upset, and knew it wasn't Smudger's fault, for he tried to keep the trucks under control. The manager didn't want to scrap Smudger, but he left him at the back of the sheds until they could either repair him or find another use for him. Warrior also had his comeuppance for his rude behavior when he had gotten involved in a terrible accident not worth repairing. His firebox crown had completely melted when he refused to take on water. As a result, Warrior was scrapped and used as spares to help repair the other engines, who knew that manager had a reason for it. He acquired three engines, Proteus, Albert and Mighty Mac. When the war ended in 1918, it was unfortunate that Proteus and Richard derailed in a mineshaft. They weren't scrapped, but they were sold to the Skarloey Railway. Barn had ended up in a mine-shaft at Arlesdale by accident, leaving the engines to believe he would never be found again. Later on that year, the manager was able to purchase three engines; a 4-6-0 pannier tank named Stanley, and 0-4-0 pannier tank engines from France named Atlas and Alfred. Duke at first was skeptical of the new arrival, and thought Stanley would be a rude engine like Smudger was, but Stanley proved to be less cocky than Smudger was, even though he had a rather strong ego, and he took a bit more care when he pulled his trains. Despite rude comments on occasion, the engines liked working with Stanley as the new number 2. The other engines were #8 Atlas and #9 Alfred. Neither engine spoke English when they first arrived, but Duke, Handel, Sam, Albert, Jim, Tim, Millie, Jennings, John, Freddie and Mighty Mac helped them to learn their language, and Atlas and Alfred were both able to speak English and French. However, times would slowly become tough for the engines on the Mid-Sodor Railway... In 1923, the Peel Godred Power Company had been allowed to build a dam and hydro-electric power plant a mile north from the town. The Mid-Sodor Railway and Arlesburgh were considered, but mountain clearances were proven unsurpassable, even if the port was suitable. The North Western Railway had completed a branchline from Kildane at the time, proving to be a disaster for the Mid Sodor Railway since traffic from Peel Godred began to decline after its opening. In 1925, Millie had been brought by the earl. Jerry arrived on the railway and became the new number 10 since Millie was brought by the earl. In 1928, Stanley's reckless and selfish behavior had gone too far. Handel had a bad accident one day when Stanley played a cruel trick. He made his crash into the buffers and into a big hole that was going to be used as a dam. Handel was very badly damaged by this, and a temporary manager was there and not the brightest of people. He said for Handel to be scrapped. Sam, not baring the thought, snuck Handel to a part of the line that wasn't used much, and they had a brotherly goodbye. When the real manager returned, he and Duke went to get Handel, but he was gone. Little did they know he was used for spare parts. While Duke was in a depression for days on end, Sam was very cross with Stanley after that. They made a big rivalry that grew very bitter. It all ended one day where Sam and Stanley had a very bad accident, causing Stanley to become a pumping engine and Sam to be used for spare parts. After Stanley, Handel and Sam were gone (leaving Tim the only tram engine on the railway), the manager needed more help. He remembered Proteus' and Albert's performances and he remembered that back in 1916, he requested to the Falcon Works that they build an engine of Proteus' and Albert's design for his railway. Falcon Works agreed to it, but it took some time and that the engines the works named #3 would not be ready until a few days later of the year he was in currently. Out of desperation, he had to buy another engine from Kerr, Stuart & Co. There wasn't much choice there, but he did buy an engine that was coincidently a 0-4-2 tank engine he ordered. The engine was male, built in the same year, had the number 4 on his side. #3 and #4 finally arrived on the Mid-Sodor Railway. They were taken by road to Arlesburgh, and they were given names. #3 was Falcon, after the works he and #5 came from, and #4 was named Stuart, and like Falcon, named after the works he was built at. The 2 engines had a major flaw involving their cabs. It gave them instability and it lead to derailments from rough riding. Eventually, the tank engines were given upgrades with an enclosed cab and trailing wheels to make them more versatile runners. Falcon grew especially fond of Duke when he saved his life when he was going to fall off a cliff, and as a result, came up with an affectionate nickname for him. This nickname, was "Granpuff". Duke felt extremely touched by this. He had never been called that before, and he started to feel like a grandfather. And quite frankly, he considered Falcon as his little grandson. Stuart became fond of Duke like Falcon was, and even started calling him "Granpuff" after a while, much to Duke's surprise and delight. Now he had 2 grandsons that look up to him. What's more, Falcon started to treat Stuart as his little brother, also taking him under his 'wing', and both of them started to teach Stuart about the ins and outs of what he had to do. He was a fast learner, that was for sure. The manager had forgotten that Smudger was in the sheds too, so the manager requested to Covan's Gate Works to rebuild Smudger back into an engine, Crovan's Gate Works agreed to it. Then Smudger was rebuilt into a sadle tank engine, repainted brown (with red lining) and renamed Bertram. Over the next few years, Duke, Bertram, Falcon, Stuart, Albert, Jim, Tim, Atlas, Alfred, Jerry, Jennings, John, Freddie and Mighty Mac worked alongside each other on the Mid-Sodor Railway. In 1929, the manager acquired a 0-4-2 saddle tank engine from the same works Stuart came from to work at Ulfstead Road. The new engine was known as Barford, given the number 15, painted purple, worked at Ulfstead Road with Jim and Freddie, and was funny and kind. By 1935, passenger trains from Peel Godred were almost empty most times of the year, and steamers no longer called at Arlesburgh. The mountain section closed down the following year in 1936, and around that time, Barford had been running very poorly early and had to be sold to the Aluminium works. Jim, Jerry, Freddie and the bogie coaches had to be sold the same year to keep the railway running, and Bertram was rebuilt into a tender engine, as if making sacrifices. Passengers began using buses as opposed to the railway, and the line returned to square one, it's humble beginnings as a tramway line. Duke, Bertram, Falcon, Stuart, Albert, Tim, Atlas, Alfred, Jennings, John and Mighty Mac bravely worked hard during the next decade, even when World War II gave them a lot of traffic to put up with. Even as the three were maintained, the track and rolling stock's condition deteriorated, often leading to derailments. Some parts had to be taken from their respective sisters in order for the operating engines to keep going, much to everyone's dismay. Mines closed down one by one, until the last mine in service was at Cas-ny-Hawin, where Stanley had been working since the war began. Stanley was glad he was helping his railway, even if he couldn't run, and didn't want the railway to suffer. Duke, Bertram, Falcon, Stuart, Albert, Tim, Atlas, Alfred, Jennings, John and Mighty Mac understood Stanley's confidence in helping the workmen. But it all came to a sudden end when in December 1946, the mine was flooded, and Stanley was lost beyond rescue. The engines and crews were devastated; the railway would have no choice but to close down for good, which was put into effect in January 1947, and Falcon had the honors of running the final train. People had come to buy the engines. Bertram, Tim, Atlas, Alfred, Jennings, John and Mighty Mac were lost in the mines, Albert was decomissioned, Falcon and Stuart were sold to the Aluimuim works, but poor Duke was sheeted up in his shed. The younger engines cried as they left him behind, fearing that Duke was slowly die in the shed... But that, is another story.Category:Island of Sodor Category:Ralways Category:Mid Sodor Railway Category:Narrow gauge